The Swedish company Saab may be better known in the U.S. as a car maker rather than a weapons manufacturer. But for decades, the business has focused primarily on defense and security.
Over the summer, the company looked to grow its presence in the U.S. by scoping out potential sites for a munitions facility in the midwest. The business is growing as conflicts rage on in areas like Ukraine and Sweden’s recent joining of NATO.
On Tuesday, Saab announced it landed on Grayling for its $75 million investment. The decision comes with support from officials but concern from some residents who expressed distrust with the military presence in the area.
Plans moving quickly
Saab’s plan is to build a facility to produce and test the company’s ground-launched small diameter bomb system and shoulder-launched munitions.
“Given current global security challenges, it is critical the United States strengthens its national defense capacity," said a statement from Erik Smith, president and CEO of Saab in the U.S. "Saab is proud to partner with the state of Michigan and the local community to establish a world-class facility that, with our range of products, will increase and modernize the domestic production of munition systems."
The area is home to the Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center, the largest National Guard training facility in the United States, spanning 147,000 acres of training land throughout Crawford County and 113 square miles of restricted air space.
The facility would be located in an industrial park southeast of Grayling, according to Township Trustee Joe Smock. But Saab will need to use designated firing ranges on Camp Grayling land for routine inspections of products.
Camp Grayling is a cornerstone of the National All-Domain Warfighting Center (NADWC) which also includes 17,000 square miles of special-use military airspace at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center.
In a 2022 DBuisness article, Camp Grayling Garrison Commander Col. Scott Meyers said more businesses have come to the site for testing and demonstrating their products due to the amount of land and all-seasons terrain.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called the investment “transformative” in a statement Tuesday. She said it will create 70 local jobs and uphold Michigan’s manufacturing legacy.
“We will continue pursuing our comprehensive economic development strategy to secure projects, invest in people, and uplift places across Michigan," Whitmer said in a statement. "With Saab’s decision to ‘Make It in Michigan,’ we are building on our economic momentum and strong reputation as a leader in advanced manufacturing."
The facility in Grayling will be Saab's 10th in the United States. Others include advanced manufacturing within aerospace in West Lafayette, Indiana, radar and sensor systems in Syracuse, New York, training and simulation in Orlando, Florida, autonomous and undersea systems in Cranston, Rhode Island and Quincy, Massachusetts and a new operationally focused incubator in San Diego, California.
“You're probably talking about 22, 23 people that have to say yes to this before it can happen."Joe Smock, Grayling Township trustee
Odon, Indiana, was also in the running for the Saab facility. It’s a small town with about 1,400 residents about 90 miles southwest of Indianapolis and 9 miles from the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center in nearby Crane, Indiana.
Why Saab chose Grayling over Odon is not yet known, and Saab representatives would not return requests for comment in time for publication.
While the company seems ambitious about the project, the timeline is still unknown.
The company said in its Tuesday press release it could break ground by next month. But Smock, the township trustee, says it will likely take much longer pending approvals from township boards.
“You're probably talking about 22, 23 people that have to say yes to this before it can happen,” Smock said.
Concerns from residents
Some Grayling residents have mixed feelings on the prospect of a new weapons maker coming to town.
The decision comes as residents deal with PFAS contamination that was traced back to Camp Grayling in the fall of 2016. PFAS, an acronym for polyfluoroalkyl substances, move through watersheds without breaking down and are linked to an array of health problems, including cancer.
State and local officials are looking to curb contamination in resident’s drinking water wells by extending municipal water lines to impacted homes.
Also in recent years, the Michigan National Guard undertook a massive effort to expand the footprint of Camp Grayling by leasing land from the state Department of Natural Resources.
“Seventy jobs isn't nothing. But because we haven't had a chance to really figure out what Saab’s plan is and to get long term promises on what it's going to be, it's hard for anyone to answer if the benefits are going to be worth the cost.”Josh Greenberg, Anglers of the Au Sable
While the lease proposal was denied last year, the DNR did sign a memorandum of understanding to allow land use permits for the Guard to conduct training exercises on up to 52,000 acres.
A team of northern Michigan residents amassed over five-dozen resolutions and letters of opposition from local governments inside and outside the expansion area.
Both incidents, Bear Lake Township Supervisor Jim Knight said, have eroded trust in the military for some residents.
“There's no regard for the community and neighbors here. That's the one of the huge breakdowns that we've had with [Camp Grayling],” Knight said. “Going forward, they've got a huge issue in front of them to try to get the public, somewhat, on their side.”
The Grayling area is a recreational paradise with its state forest land, the Au Sable River and inland lakes.
Josh Greenberg, president of the Anglers of the Au Sable, he said the decision for Saab to come to Grayling seemed too fast and that he would like the company gain an understanding of resident’s love for the land before they move there.
“Sevent jobs isn't nothing,” he said. “But because we haven't had a chance to really figure out what Saab’s plan is and to get long term promises on what it's going to be, it's hard for anyone to answer if the benefits are going to be worth the cost.”
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